Conservative or Liberal, Deist or Pagan, Jersey transplant or Lehigh Valley native, we're all in this mess together. Let's talk. Let us do no harm. Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne

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Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Pawlowski to NBC 10: I Have No Intention of Resigning

After a groundbreaking for the new Butz Corporate Center at 9th and Hamilton yesterday, Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski told NBC-10's Doug Shimell that he has "no intention of resigning," and that "we got great things going on in the City of Allentown. Like a deepening FBI investigation in which his right-hand man, political and business consultant Miked Fleck, wore a wire for 90 days.

An FBI search warrant and subpoena, published in The Morning Call, makes one wonder exactly what these "great things" are. It's pretty clear that a federal grand jury is looking at NIZ contractors who have ties to Pawlowski and other elected officials. The revelation that Mike Fleck was Miked Fleck for 90 days is bound to dampen enthusiasm as long as Mayor Pawlowski remains at the helm. If he really had the regard for the City that he claims to have, he should step aside.

Another reason why Pawlowski and others should be concerned can be summed up in two words - Scott Curtis. He is the FBI agent whose name appears on the federal documents, and that's a bad sign for anyone who thinks this is just a passing shower.

Curtis is a hard-charging mob buster who is reported to have virtually destroyed the Colombo crime family in NYC. Over a decade, he participated in the arrest of over 100 mobsters. Even more interestingly, he flipped about a dozen of them, just as Fleck was obviously flipped.

47 comments:

The entire NIZ reeks from day one. Rotten law, straw buying of properties, no bids. What is even worse is if Fleck gets a slap on the hands. I saw him on Jesus TV (WFMZ) on that show with Tony Ianelli (Empty suit and empty head). Fleck acted like a big bully. I was surprised he had any job but a corrupt one after his throwing his weight around on that show. Stay in Georgia Fleck. King Edwin should be kept in a nice Chicago prison. Too bad the real residents of Allentown are not willing to take back their city, we need a second American Revolution.

What a guy, this Pawlowski! Knowing his full time job for the coming year will be working on his own legal troubles, rather than usual mayoral things, he has no intention of resigning. He'll keep enjoying the office space, business products, secretarial staff, etc. on the taxpayer dime. Being paid a regular salary and benefits package for personal business work ain't bad either.

The fbi should look in to McNeil and paligonia they got donations from Ed too for there campaign and look into them thieves in allentown running that so call syrian American club run by Mr pawlowski friend that always gave donations to pawlowski so in return he could save them money on city permits and tax they all should go down fbi needs to get them and by the way allentown ex chief in part of the crew there the one that so call he says he's going to a good sherrif what a joke

"I am not a crook." Nixon"I did not have sexual relations with that woman." Clinton"Read my lips: no new taxes." Bush"We still seek no wider war." LBJ"The fundamental business of the country, that is, production and distribution of commodities, is on a sound and prosperous basis." HooverAnd Now:"I have no intention of resigning. I'm continuing to be mayor and we have a great thing going here in the City of Allentown . . .”

I see he transferred to the Allentown office in 2013. The grand jury has a 2013 identifier in it. Could this investigation have been ongoing since then? Or is it all coincidence? Thanks for staying on top of this Bernie. It's a shame WFMZ and the communist rag on 6th street continue to half ass their reporting.

Remember, the Morning Call is no longer a local paper. It takes its direction from the good folks at Tribune Chicago. It's more concerned with the 'national' message. Enjoy reading about Musikfest food. It's a little token for those who live here. Pitiful news operation going on at the Call these days. Circulation dropping like a rock.

That is a very good perception of the Brown Hole matter, hence begins the matter at a Hole new level for Mr.Klean and Joe to claim ignorance of there ommisions to there complicit knowledge of theft of services to the public as a Hole on a county level¿

The part of this saga that still blows me away is how Fleck turned on Pawlowski. These two have been so close going all the way back to 2003 or so when Pawlowski was trying to expand his Alliance for Building Communities efforts in Easton and Fleck was just beginning to get involved in politics (during the Tom Goldsmith administration). Over the last decade plus they've been like best friends. Pawlowski must have been devastated to learn that Fleck sold him out and saved himself.

The comment in the video about Pawlowski being "tired of being asked about the Federal investigation" was entertaining to say the least. He's not at all used to media that doesn't take their direction from him and stop asking questions when he says to stop asking questions.

I think 2:18 might be right. Reports are, there were never real accountability controls on labor and materials receipts. Another likely place to abuse taxpayer dollars. All that matters is how aggressive the FBI and IRS want to be. Whoever was in charge of dispersing NIZ funds to developers and contractors should be hauled in for a good grilling.

Sadly, businessmen and campaign advisers are private citizens and rarely see jail time in public corruption cases. They'll get deals for cooperation that leads to convictions of those lawyers and elected officials who violated public trust. That's how the system usually works.

It's ironic that Mayor Ed recently promoted a reduction in crime in Allentown during a period where he and his people may have been engaged in criminal activity.

Bernie you are a breath of fresh air. For the longest time we only had interesting news about elected officials like LisaB and Pat "born to be wild" Brown who become really newsworthy when they drink. But now we have Mayor Ed, Miked Fleck, and a whole host of really interesting characters who are pimping it large for our entertainment. Miked has come a long way from a twenty-something Easton paperboy to a thirty-something full on informant for the EF-BEE-EYE. Why it seems like only yesterday that Miked was working the phone in his Easton apartment setting up "mixers" and ordering cheese trays. He's made it to the "show".

If Mayor Ed does get indicted, he will still win the next election for mayor. He will truly be a man of the people representing a constituency that sympathizes with those who have brushes with the law.

Keep up the excellent reporting Bernie, you are running circles around the mcallwfmzexpresstimes news goat rodeo. Also to Rich Fegley, love your beer and really appreciate your hard hitting advocacy for your beliefs. While I love the beer more, you are a role model for citizens speaking up and should be proud of yourself. Kudos to you both for standing up to the NIZ sham and the folks who lack the moral compass to simply behave within the law.

I've had two recent experiences outside of this little "Bernie's Blog Bubble" we all live in, that demonstrate how we got in to this mess and why Pawlowski would probably win again tomorrow if he ran.

Stopped by the Farmer's Market where two women who are long time Dem neighborhood volunteers...distribute yard signs, hold coffees, work the polls...ran up and hugged me saying, "Isn't it awful. They're trying to frame Ed. He'll get out of this".

Tonight I attended a networking happy hour for a tech group based downtown and was stunned that a group of educated professionals seemed to be rooting for the mayor and were down on the media for hyping the story. One person actually said to me, and this is close to a direct quote, "Sometimes you need to bend the rules to make things happen".